About the Blog

Some people create to enjoy the finished product. I get my greatest satisfaction from the process of creating. This blog is my attempt to share that process with others.

Wednesday, January 19, 2011

Recipe: "Old-Fashioned Penicillin"

Description: I have a cold. I found this recipe in a Lake Charles Junior League cookbook, one of the many cookbooks in my mom's stash, and copied it down mainly because of the recipe name and description. It was called "Old-Fashioned Penicillin" and the instructions said that it could be served to treat sore throats, coughs, colds, and other similar complaints. This "medicine" is really just a clear, homemade chicken broth-type soup that can be sipped out of a coffee or soup cup. The recipe suggested making some to freeze, thawing it as needed when you or another person gets sick. I thought that was a great idea and decided I'd need to do that just in case I ever got this year's cold. Of course, I never got around to that during the first week I was back this semester. At the beginning of week 2, I woke up unable to speak. Time for some old-fashioned, homemade "medicine" in addition to my OTC remedies. I made the soup this evening and sipped it from my coffee cup. Worked wonders on my sore throat. So, enough chatter. Here's the recipe.

Servings: 8-10

Ingredients:

1 (4-5 lb.) young hen

3 quarts water

1 tbs salt

1 whole onion

1 bay leaf

2 carrots, peeled

4 tops of celery ribs

white pepper, to taste

Directions:

Wash hen thoroughly and trim off excess fat. Cut into halves or quarters and place in salted water in a deep heavy pot or kettle.

When done, remove hen and save meat for use in another recipe. Discard all vegetables. Strain soup until clear.

When cooled, refrigerate for a few hours until fat has formed on top surface. Skim fat.

Freeze soup in containers until ready to use.

My Rating: 4/5 - soothed my sore throat without the hassle of having to chew noodles or chicken! I rated it a 4, though, because it takes so long to make!

Notes:You won't really want to make this soup when you're already sick. Trust me. Make it ahead of time. When you're sick, you can settle down with a box of Kleenex and a cup of soup, congratulating yourself for being prepared.

The Soup

Another Old-Fashioned Remedy: bright, cheerful flowers, preferably brought to you by someone special (as mine were)

Shout Outs

The Fine Print

I take no credit for any of the patterns, recipes, designs or ideas featured in my blog, except where I've specifically stated that the pattern, recipe, design or idea is my own. I've attempted to make all appropriate attributions by both textual attribution and by linking to the source of the design, whether that source is another blog, a pattern vendor, a book, or a periodical. I provide no patterns on this website that are not my own creations. Any patterns featured are done so by link only and have either been specifically designated as "free" by the source of that pattern or have been freely provided to the public via the internet. This website does not intentionally reproduce any content protected by federal copyright laws. This website is purely for entertainment purposes and engages in no commercial activities of any kind.